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There's a tendency these days to judge performances by `perfection' rather than by expressiveness, passion, or less measurable aspects. In terms of the Preludes and Fugues, as the pieces lend so much for analyses, it is easy to miss the key point. As indeed, those who cannot evaluate things by way of depth and breadth often use detail and other much more superficial and artificial ideas as their ideal of perfection and excellence. "Perfect" is that realm becomes science, not art. In particular, when digitisation rules the day, minor quibbles like breathing or environmental noises, tolerated in live performances, become the 8th deadly sin.The Well-tempered Claiver Book I of Maurizio Pollini blows away every accusation of his being `cool', `mechanical', `precise' (qualities that never had been his hallmark in the real sense). Pollini really makes the 24 pairs sing.I began listening to these pieces with Ralph Kirkpatrick's harpsichord version. As a piano player, it did me much more harm than good for these works. To put it in simple terms, I disliked them: the clangy-bangy sound on the harpsichord coupled with Kirkpatrick's more Apollonian view of these works were quite enough to kill them for me.Then follows Glenn Gould's and Friedrich Gulda's very `scientific' renditions, and S. Richter's rather uneven reading. They sounded some what better; then Angela Hewitt's first album did managed to alleviate the harm to some extent, but unfortunately her second volume is more willful and mannered. Indeed, Edwin Fischer had a much more appealing volume on his `historical' album dated back to the 1930's, but the sound quality could no way be matched with modern day hi-tech recordings.It has always been a great shame that Wilhelm Kempff's set of "well-tempered clavier" has gone out of print on DG, and the great Bach expert organist Karl Richter had not, during his short life, recorded the well-tempered clavier on any keyboard instrument.Luckily Pollini came to my aid in good time. His preludes and fugues are real joys to listen to. I don't care if they are `perfect' or not. Pollini's singing tone in the counterpoints is simply too beautiful for any distraction of a more inferior order. While you listen, you can imagine yourself sitting in a huge church, with a wonderful chorus singing out the contrapuntal melodies, and a small chamber orchestra making great accompaniment. Or more so still, you can imagine Bach's Brandenburg Concerti, his b Minor Mass, his Cantatas.... Pollini draws direct references to these other works of Bach in his performance. By far the most satisfying WTC I've encountered yet, largely because of the spontaneity and emotional depth manifested in these pieces.The only question that remains is - will he record Volume 2?I agree that the WTC in this performance sound much more 'vertical' or 'spherical' than most other great performances of the same work. What strikes me further, however, is how Pollini has dwelled into these works in real depth stylistically.I have started to play the entire Vol. 1 since the age of 10. By now I have learned those pieces for decades. What sets Pollini's performance apart is his baroque style: grandiose and flambouyant. He weaves the phrases and counterpoints with real swerve and nuance. There is hardly any single idle phrase. This alarming state of concentration in performance is at the same time coupled with expressively beautiful touching, a hallmark of Pollini's since the earliest days he performs in public on the pianoforte. Listening to this set of WTC, the experience is akin to listening to a period baroque orchestra.I emphasize 'period' here, because in comparison to Gulda's more modernist approach, Pollini's interpretation is more stylistically informed. It is more than evident that the Maestro has done extensive research into these compositions before putting them down in performance here. Not since Karl Richter have I heard more energised and nuanced Bach interpretation. Again, as I said, it is a great pity that Karl Richter did not leave any recording of the WTC.Hats off to Maestro Pollini!

The Music is played with great imaginative simplicity and thus it is a delightful pleasure to listen to; it unites understanding and beautiful sound. Listen out for occasional 'sing along' by the pianist- he is enjoying the music no doubt-and so are we...

I always listen to the CD after receiving it. Its sound quality is excellent as it could fully show the outstanding performance given by Pollini.

The delivery time is around a week (from the US to Hong Kong) and I love it.

After buying this Pollini CD and Ashkenzy's Chopin Box Set, I bought another set of Alfred Brendel from the same store. I am looking forward to it. Hopefully, next week as it has already been dispatched.

I concede that I have not heard the full CD - although I will as soon as it is released in the UK - and admittedly I am a Pollini fan but the earlier review seems to me far too dismissive of a great pianist. I have just listened to an extract played on Radio 3 and to me it was both magical and magisterial. If I change my mind after listening to the full CD I will come back and amend this review but in the interim I cannot leave the rating at just 2 stars!

Buyers, beware! No-one sniffs like Pollini. Listen to any of the pieces on decent headphones and the constant sniffing and snorting will drive you mad. I am not talking about the occasional inhalation - even pianists have to breathe from time to time - but a continuous accompaniment of pronounced sniffs, gassy sucking noises and intrusive, breathy sounds. He is exactly the same on his not-very-good Chopin Nocturnes recording; I assumed he had a nasty cold at the time. I am not usually sensitive to extraneous sounds in recordings, but this is something else altogether. Sniff, sniff, suck, snort, sniff, hiss. It never stops and is unbelievably loud.

I have nothing to say about the playing itself..........but this alone renders it unlistenable for me.